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Citizen Complaints Result In DEP Issuing PA General Energy More Violations At Loyalsock Creek Gas Pipeline/Water Withdrawal Construction Site In Lycoming County

A November 28 inspection report by the Department of Environmental Protection resulted in the agency issuing more Clean Streams Law violations to PA General Energy at the Shawnee water withdrawal and natural gas pipeline construction site on the Loyalsock Creek in Gamble Township, Lycoming County.

A natural gas gathering pipeline system and freshwater supply pipelines is being built on both banks of the Loyalsock Creek to connect the development of three shale gas tracts leased from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in Loyalsock State Forest that are expected to serve an additional 80 shale gas wells.

On November 27, Barb Jarmoska of Keep It Wild PA, took photos and a video of a mud plume that traveled more than a mile down the Loyalsock Creek from the PA General Energy construction site.

She was prompted to look at the creek by her six-year-old granddaughter who was the first to notice the pollution.

Click Here to watch a video of what they saw. Barb Jarmoska’s 13-year-old granddaughter held the umbrella while she took the video recording the pollution in the Loyalsock Creek.

The followup DEP inspection report said the violations included--

-- Erosion and sediment controls were not designed to prevent sediment from going into the creek;

-- Erosion and sediment controls were not implemented and maintained to prevent sediment from going into the creek; and

-- Mud and sediment were visible “overwhelming” the controls and being discharged into the creek from the construction site.

Click Here for a copy of the inspection report with photos.

DEP also did inspections at the site before and after the November 27/28 incidents on November 15, 23, December 1, 5 and 8 and said they found no violations on those dates.

12+ Violations So Far

DEP has now documented over a dozen environmental violations at the site, some lasting several days, since construction began in July.

On September 27, DEP issued two formal notices of violations to PA General Energy containing six individual violations for water pollution discharges into the creek at the Loyalsock/Shawnee site. Read more here.

On October 13, DEP again found four more violations of the Clean Streams Law and the Solid Waste Management Act at the Shawnee site. DEP said the violations included blocking the entire width of the creek with a coffer dam, flume pipes, and timber mats not approved by the agency. Read more here.

On October 24, Barb Jarmoska of Keep It Wild PA, took photos and filed a complaint with DEP about PA General Energy contractors dismantling the coffer dam they constructed in the creek by ripping open the sandbags and dumping the contents in the creek.

When DEP investigated the complain, a spokesperson for the agency said, “There is the expectation of some disturbance and mobilization of existing sediment in the creek bottom during the removal of BMPs and as water is once again allowed to flow over newly disturbed stream bed, no matter how carefully the BMPs are removed.

“It is possible that some of the sandbags could have also been torn leading to some discoloration. The activity observed did not contribute additional sediment to the creek, nor did any BMPs fail causing a discharge of sediment. The result of the Department’s inspection was no violations.”

Project Background

The PA General Energy Loyalsock/Shawnee natural gas pipeline and surface water withdrawal construction site is on both sides of Route 87 and the Loyalsock Creek, approximately 8 miles north of Montoursville in Gamble Township, Lycoming County.

The natural gas gathering pipeline system and freshwater supply pipelines are being built to connect the development of three shale gas tracts leased from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in Loyalsock State Forest that are expected to add up to 80 additional shale gas wells.

The pipelines will connect two leased tracts of state forest land on a plateau on the north side of the Loyalsock Creek, run about a mile down steep hillsides, under the Loyalsock Creek and State Route 87, and 1.5 miles up steep slopes up to a third leased tract on state forest land on the south side of the Creek.

The freshwater pipeline will be constructed above ground. PGE will attempt to use new underground “micro-tunneling” technology for the natural gas pipeline, down steep slopes on both sides of the Creek.

Loyalsock EV Stream

The Loyalsock is classified by DEP as an Exceptional Value stream whose water quality must be protected by law, with no degradation. The Creek was also named by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as the 2018 Pennsylvania River of the Year and called a “timeless treasure.” Read more here.

The Loyalsock Creek is home to the Eastern Hellbender, named the state’s official amphibian after a campaign by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation PA Student Leadership Council. It only thrives in clean water. Read more here.

Surveys of Loyalsock Creek in Lycoming County over the last two summers by Dr. Peter Petokas, from Lycoming College Clean Water Institute, found habitats of the rare Eastern Hellbender salamander are being significantly impacted by sediment plumes from natural gas pipeline crossing and shale gas drilling-related water withdrawal construction projects. Read more here.

Public Urged To Report Problems

“Any member of the public concerned about this or other potential environmental issues they may observe at any time should contact their regional DEP office to file a complaint,” said Mary Lehman, DEP’s Northcentral Regional Office. “Complaints may be filed over the phone or through a web form.”

(Photos: Top- Muddy plume (Barb Jarmoska); Muddy construction site (DEP); Middle- Looking across the creek to pipeline right of way (DEP); Pipeline right of way (DEP); Bottom- Workers ripping open sandbags (Barb Jarmoska); Muddy construction along stream bank (DEP).)

Related Articles - Loyalsock Creek:

-- Bay Journal: Hellbender Habitat Slammed By Pollution From Shale Gas Development In PA's Loyalsock Creek [PaEN]

-- DEP: PA General Energy Cited For More Water Pollution Violations, Blocking The Whole Width Of Loyalsock Creek At Gas Pipeline/Water Withdrawal Construction Site In Lycoming County [PaEN]

-- DEP Issues 2 NOVs Against PA General Energy For Water Pollution Discharges Into The Loyalsock Creek From Gas Pipeline/Water Withdraw Construction In Lycoming County [PaEN]

-- NO SPECIAL PROTECTION: The Exceptional Value Loyalsock Creek In Lycoming County Is Dammed And Damned [PaEN]

-- DEP, Fish & Boat Commission Investigate Multiple, Continuing Water Pollution Discharges From PGE Natural Gas Pipeline Construction Site On Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County [PaEN]

-- Rare Eastern Hellbender Habitat In Loyalsock Creek, Lycoming County Harmed By Sediment Plumes From Pipeline Crossings, Shale Gas Drilling Water Withdrawal Construction Projects [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Has No Exclusion Zones For Water Withdrawals From Any Streams, Including EV Or HQ Streams Subject To Water Quality Antidegradation Rules [PaEN]

-- Exceptional Value Water Quality Designation, State Forest Land, River Honors Were Not Enough To Protect Loyalsock Creek From Natural Gas Drilling & Pipelines In Lycoming County [PaEN]

DEP Public Notice Dashboards:

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 10 to 16 [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment [PaEN]